I think you should try ruling out a physical issue first. With the mouse installed, move the cord around and fiddle with the cord at the USB end as well as the entry into the mouse. See if you end up losing the device in Windows. If you don't, then the wiring should be fine (not frayed internally, which can sometimes happen).

If your system is set to automatically update device drivers, then it is possible that your mouse driver was silently updated and is somehow conflicting with other software (system or otherwise). There shouldn't be any problem with rolling back to an earlier version. Mouse drivers are usually very robust out of the box and are updated only to deal with newer hardware, operating system updates, and specific defects that were deemed necessary to fix. But more times than not the update isn't really needed. I would try using an earlier one for a while. If the problem still happens, then apply the update again. If the problem continues then there must be some kind of device problem that is not easily remedied. A mouse is a very inexpensive peripheral. I'd buy yourself a new one and save yourself further aggravation.

UPDATE:

I have received a response on the Dell site.

Evidently, the mouse does not need a driver because it uses the native driver.

I think that this means the mouse uses the Microsoft driver.

PS. I think that the driver programme 'R141725.EXE' (on Dell site) is meant for those users who have more sophisticated mice (mine is two button + wheel)

Have you tried it in another computer? Is it still failing?

Quite frankly, it sounds like it may be suffering from some internal problem. Drivers usually work or they don't work. When they are intermittent, it's often due to a conflict with another device or some other uncommon issue, but in my experience this is usually quite seldom.

If this is an old mouse, I'd chalk it up to wear and tear and treat yourself to a new one. These days mice are cheap and with a little extra $$ you can get yourself a very nice one without breaking the bank.

Remember... anything that you use for input on a regular basis should be of very good quality, namely the keyboard and mouse. This is the daily user experience and should never be compromised. I once knew someone that struggled with a pesky ball mouse that kept gathering up gunk and skipping. The guy had a ritual for cleaning it about once every two weeks. Despite optical mice being available and not too expensive, he persisted with this annoyance for years... until I gave him an optical mouse as a gift. Afterward, he kicked himself for not having upgraded much sooner.

Originally Posted by anonprivate

Thank you for the information.

Do you think it could indicate a forthcomming (writing on the wall) motherboard problem, a dry joint possibly? I hope that you rule this out

You're welcome. Unlikely it's a MB or solder joint issue. If it was, you could induce the mouse problem by rapping on the computer casing. Plus, plugging the mouse back in corrects it, so the symptom alleviation being directly cured from this makes it even less likely the source is a hardware issue inside the computer. You can rule this out by getting another mouse and seeing if this solves your problem. Maybe you can borrow one from a friend, or buy one from a store that will allow you to return it within a few days if you decide you don't like it (just make sure you're careful with the packaging so you can repack it to look all original).

Symptoms of driver issues can be wide ranging. It is possible for it to be intermittent as driver logic encounters issues and then eventually self corrects, by whatever criteria or sensory input it encounters.